June 10, 2008

Categories:

Yesterday, it was NBC's Andrea Mitchell who apologized on air for describing some Virginians as "rednecks," and I'm hearing that at 2 p.m. today, Fox's E.D. Hill will address another cable news mini-controversy — her use of the term "terrorist fist jab."

As I mentioned yesterday, Hill came under fire for opening a segment on the Michelle-Barack fist pound in the following way: "A fist bump? A pound? A terrorist fist jab? The gesture everyone seems to interpret differently."

Columnist Cal Thomas, a Fox contributor, described the common hand gesture as "Hezbollah style fist-jabbing." But it seems that Thomas is the only one interpreting it that way, and he did not respond to an e-mail about why the phrase was subsequently edited out of his column.

The "Hezbollah style fist jabbing" quote that's been making the rounds attributed to a Cal Thomas column actually originated from a comment on his column. That comment had been deleted. I had heard from a source that Thomas wrote it, and it was edited out. However, I've just confirmed things with Human Events. I'd like to apologize to Thomas for following the same rumor as others, and attributing to him. (Apologies all around, I guess).

UPDATE: Back to Hill: “Want to start the show by clarifying something that I said on the show last Friday about an upcoming body language segment. Now I mentioned various ways the Obamas’ fist bump in St. Paul had been characterized in the media. I apologize because unfortunately some thought I, personally, had characterized it inappropriately. I regret that. It was not my intention. I certainly didn’t mean to associate the word terrorist in any way with Sen. Obama and his wife.”

"...unfortunately some thought I, personally, had characterized it inappropriately."
Huh?! That is EXACTLY what this poor excuse for a reporter did. There is no source he provided for others claiming this characterization of a pretty widely-recognizable, and AMERICAN, social greeting. The only "unfortunate" thing is that this supposed news network actually has a follwership.

It's sad that in America a network can just make things up like this. Is there any evidence anywhere that terrorists bump fists. Has she missed that Americans have been doing this for over ten years? What planet do these Fox News people live on?

Excuse me?? She blamed it on the media...where there is no record of anyone else having said it prior to her!!!
If she wants to use that excuse, she needs to produce an example of it. If not, I really think she and her producer should be canned. It was good enough for Dan Rather and his producer, it should be good enough for Fox.

To all of you hypocrites who rail against Fox for the slightest mistake while remaining silent when the liberal press stick their feet in their mouths, you need to try and be more "fair and balanced" if you want anyone to take you seriously. After reading your emotional posts it seems like the real crime isn't what someone says or does. The real crime is not agreeing with you. Not accepting your version of liberal orthodoxy as the gospel.

Glad I saw this, typical of Fox and CNN reporters. She should have been fired. Did she apologize to Obama and Michelle? Probaby not
Maybe the public should start calling for the firing of these reporters. How do we start us a list?